Everything You Need to Know About Nitro Coffee as Told by a Barista

Bill Nye would approve.

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A simple cup of joe is closer to a science experiment than anything else. Working at Drip N’ Scoop in Ocean City, New Jersey has taught me that the simplest adjustment can entirely change your morning coffee experience.

The complexities that come with grinding beans have now brought a new type of coffee into the spotlight, one that has people questioning just about everything they have ever known about coffee. Nitro coffee sounds scarier than it is, the drink is merely a delicious new caffeine option brought to you by your local hipster coffee shop.

The Science

Photo by Casey Irwin

Explaining Nitro coffee is easier if you are familiar with cold brew coffee(exactly what it sounds like), because that’s essentially what it is. We start with basic cold brew, which is pressurized by about five pounds. Nitro coffee kicks that process up a notch, being pressurized with about 50 pounds of nitrogen. It’s at this point of explaining the nitro that customers often look at me bug-eyed, but it’s completely harmless. Both cold brew and nitro cold brews are kept in pressurized kegs under the counter, which are often run to taps that can be seen at the counter of the coffee shop.

The Taste

Photo by Casey Irwin

I have yet to meet a customer who does not like the nitro. It’s not for everyone, but the unique flavor is hard to dislike if you love coffee. I’ve found that the best way to describe it is to say that nitro is almost like coffee with cream—although it doesn’t have any—combined with a Guinness beer. There’s a fizzy taste that people love for its similarity to Guinness.

The whole point of nitro coffee is that you don’t need to add cream or ice, so I would recommend holding off if you can.

The Look

Photo courtesy of @dripnscoop on Instagram

People on social media actually thought a local coffee shop was serving frosty beers—because that is exactly what a nitro coffee looks like. It starts out looking very creamy, but the longer it sits the darker it gets—with a foamy top. Skip the straw and you’ll even get foam on your lip like you do at a pub.

Bring a nitro coffee to your next dage or darty and no one will know you’re actually just a sober fella trying to stay awake, enjoying the liquid magic before it becomes mainstream (and deluded with sugar).